Skip to main content

How to Start LeetCode in 2025

It’s 2025 and most top tech companies are still asking LeetCode style questions in coding interviews. But getting started on LeetCode is harder than ever. With over 3,000 problems, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lost.

  • How do you even start?

  • Which problems should you solve?

  • How many problems are enough for coding interviews?

  • How much time should you spend on each problem?

I will answer these questions and more in this article to make your journey smoother, and lot less less painful.


For context - I’ve solved more than 1,500 LeetCode problems and cleared interviews at multiple big tech companies including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft and in this article I’ll share everything I’ve learned to help you start and navigate LeetCode more effectively.


I’ll share practical tips and resources to help you save time, stay focused and build your problem-solving skills without feeling overwhelmed.

Why do you even need LeetCode?

You might be wondering: why is everyone doing LeetCode questions. Is it really necessary to land a Software Engineering job?


The short answer is: not always.


There are plenty of startups and smaller companies that focus more on your experience with specific tech stacks and the projects you’ve built. They might not even include LeetCode style questions in their interview process.


But if your goal is to work at big tech companies like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft, you would need to practice LeetCode style questions since that’s what they ask in their interviews.

Which programming language to choose?

This is a question I get asked all the time. Many people get stuck at deciding which programming language to use. But here’s the truth: It doesn’t really matter. A programming language is just a tool. Once you understand the approach to solving a problem, you can implement it in any language.


In my experience giving interviews, unless the job specifically requires expertise in a certain language, you’ll be fine using any language you’re comfortable with.

The point is, LeetCode isn’t about syntax. It’s about using the right data structures, algorithms, and your ability to think critically and solve problems.

That said, if you’re new to coding, I recommend starting with Python. It’s beginner-friendly and has a simpler syntax.


If you already know a language—stick with it.

Whether it’s C++, Java, C#, JavaScript, TypeScript or Go, there’s no need to switch.

You don’t need to be an expert in your chosen language, but you should know the basics like:

  • variables and data types

  • loops (for and while)

  • if-else conditions

  • arrays and strings

  • functions and classes

  • and input/output operations

Beyond the basics, spend some time learning the built-in libraries for common data structures and algorithms.

These libraries save time and let you focus on solving the problem rather than reimplementing data structures from scratch.


For example:

  • Python has lists, dictionaries, and sets.

  • Java has ArrayList, HashMap, and PriorityQueue.

  • C++ offers the STL library with vector, map, and set.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The RADIO framework provides a strong foundation for designing APIs and system integrations with consistency and maintainability in mind

  System Integrations & API Design: The RADIO Framework The RADIO framework provides a consistent, maintainable, and scalable approach to designing APIs and system integrations. It stands for Resource-oriented, Addressable, Documentable, Idempotent, and Observable. Resource-Oriented (R) Principle Focus on nouns (resources) over verbs (actions). 1. Aspect Implementation Detail Maintainability/Consistency Impact API Endpoints Use nouns in the URI (e.g., /users, /products/{id}). Employ standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) for CRUD operations. Predictability: Developers easily infer endpoint purpose. Clarity: Leverages standard REST principles, separating the what (resource) from the how (action). Data Models Define stable, versioned schemas (JSON/XML) for resource representations that reflect the resource's state. Decoupling: Protects consumers from internal system changes by maintaining a stable external API contract. 2. Addressable (A) Principle Every resource ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Whooping cough is an illness that can spread easily. It's also called pertussis

  Whooping cough is an illness that can spread easily. It's also called pertussis. An infection with bacteria causes it. Many people with the illness get a serious hacking cough. Breathing in after coughing often causes a high-pitched noise that sounds like a "whoop." A case of Whooping Cough (pertussis) has been reported. Due to the nature of the illness we want to provide you with the necessary information about Whooping Cough and what steps you can take to protect your child and family. Extra advice may need to be sort if you have a newborn baby or are currently pregnant. Most students have been vaccinated against Pertussis when they were and infant. What is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) and how is it spread? Whooping Cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It primarily affects the lungs and airways and can lead to severe coughing fits, especially in young children. It is spread through droplets when an infected pers...
Post a Comment
Read more

Developing User Interfaces with GitHub Copilot

  Developing User Interfaces with GitHub Copilot, Part 3 by  John Miller  | April 30, 2025 This post is the third installment in the series on AI assisted UI development. While this post is largely stand-alone, consider reading parts  1  and  2  before reading this post. Have AI Add a Data Visualization We've looked at using AI to create and add UI components in prior posts. In this post I'll add a data visualization to a page. This figure shows a rendered Sales Funnel Summary page before making any changes: The goal in this post is to have AI add a data visualization of the sales funnel to the page. Prompt: Using css, add a Sales Funnel graphic from the data in the detail-table. Include the total value and the average age. Don't include ‘unknown’ or ‘closed lost’. Below is the response from the Claude 3.7 Sonnet Thinking model. Begin Response I'll add a CSS-based Sales Funnel visualization between your summary table and the details table. Here's how t...
Post a Comment
Read more